Sprained Hip Will Keep Simmons Out Indefinitely

“Hello, Glen?”

The Clippers were back in the market for a swingman Saturday after learning that forward Bobby Simmons would be sidelined indefinitely.

In the latest example of Clipper karma, the club’s most reliable reserve suffered a severely sprained left hip in the third quarter of the Clippers’ 87-85 loss to the Miami Heat on Friday night, only hours after the club had waived veteran Glen Rice.

“The injury bug’s hitting us,” said Coach Mike Dunleavy, who also was without shooting guard Quentin Richardson for Saturday night’s 91-89 loss to the injury-depleted Lakers at Staples Center. “That makes it rough for us because we’re not really equipped for that.”

Simmons probably will be sidelined “two, three weeks minimum,” Dunleavy said, and possibly longer, depending on how he responds to treatment.

In the meantime, General Manager Elgin Baylor and his staff will prepare a list of possible roster replacements for the versatile Simmons, who averages 6.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in nearly 23 minutes and is the Clippers’ best defender.

The list is not expected to include the 36-year-old Rice, who in 18 games averaged 3.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and less than 15 minutes.

“Bobby’s [injury is] a big blow to us because of his ability to play multiple positions,” Dunleavy said. “It’s like losing three guys because we played him at [shooting guard] and at [small forward] and at [power forward] and he helped us in all those areas.”

Simmons was injured while guarding former Clipper Lamar Odom near the top of the key. He was not hit but felt something pop as he planted his feet.

“I wasn’t sure if it was my knee or my hip, or both,” said Simmons, who originally was said to have suffered knee and groin injuries.

“Injuries are something you wish you’d never have, but unfortunately if you play hard they come about.”

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Richardson’s sprained right hand kept him sidelined for the fourth time in five games, and the Clippers’ third-leading scorer and No. 2 rebounder also is expected to sit out Monday’s game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center.

“I can’t really shoot or bounce the ball hard or swipe at a ball,” Richardson said. “If you throw me the ball, I can’t catch it.... It’s not like I could do it and go through the pain. I wouldn’t be able to be effective.”

Injured Jan. 7, he hadn’t expected to sit out at all.

“The progress is a little slow,” he said. “That’s the frustrating part for me, but I want to make sure when I come back I’m ready to be able to contribute and be effective.... I want to make sure that I take the proper time off.”

Dunleavy won’t rush him.

“Until he says, ‘OK, throw me the basketball and I can catch it without pain,’ I don’t think you bring him back,” the coach said.

“You don’t want to have an injury where every time you get hit on it you’ve got to go back [out of the lineup] a couple games. [We’ll] play the other guys, get them experience.

“Maybe they can help us.”

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Dunleavy, on Corey Maggette’s failure to put up a potential score-tying shot Friday night before the final horn sounded: “He had a catch inside the top of the key with 2.9 seconds left. I mean, you can do something from there. I guess he didn’t have a feel for the clock.”